The Great Race
by Magnum2019
Summary: Lightning McQueen and Talia Burnes compete against another great racehorse - Chevy. Will Lightning keep his win streak, or will he lose it? Rated T to be safe.


**A/N: This is a story I've had in mind for a long time. I'm excited to post it, I can't wait to see what ya'll think about it! :D**

**Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are owned by Disney/Pixar.**

"The thing about Lightning is he always looks as if he isn't even trying. Talia always hand rides him, and she isn't really doing anything except directing him every once in a while. He knows exactly what he's doing and each and every time he hits the track, he wins. There's no doubt about it," Doc flattened his ears at the press, annoyed, "Lightning will beat Chevy easily. Even if he has to push himself a little bit more."

Chevy's sponsor, Luke, and his crew chief, Nathan, both snorted. "Chevy has always won his races. This weekend, Lightning will be bested for the first time, and it'll be our horse that does it," Nathan pinned his ears at Doc, then turned his head to Luke, who grinned, snickering.

Doc pinned his ears again. "Maybe it'll be the first time Chevy losses. Lightning has always won by large margins. His smallest being 6 lengths. Wasn't that Chevy's largest margin of win, or was it 5?"

Both stallions attention snapped back at Doc. Lightning tossed his head, knowing Doc was right. Luke pinned his ears, "Chevy's largest margin of win may only be 5 lengths, but he always comes from behind-"

Doc cut him off, snorting, "That's the point. Lightning will have to big of a lead already for Chevy to catch up to him. Why do you think the horses with no stamina always back down before the race even starts? Might wanna train your gelding over there to stallion-up a bit and get some stamina."

It was true. Chevy acted like a gelding. He was sweet in nature and never tried hurting anybody. Doc had never really seen the young stallions ears pin, or teeth bare.

And Lightning had the complete opposite personality.

The other two stallions seemed to realize that, out of the two racers, Lightning would win if they didn't get their racer to toughen up a bit and become a little more aggressive as a racer. Along with increase his stamina and urge to lead.

Chevy dropped his head a bit as Luke and Nathan turned to look at him. He avoided eye contact, looking at the dirt.

Nathan sighed, but Luke threw a comeback at Doc, "Your stallion will run out of stamina cause he always goes to the dang front!"

Doc took a step forward, "He goes to the front and keeps his lead the whole way around. I see no problem why he wouldn't or couldn't do the same for this coming race."

"This race is longer than that colt has ever raced!"

"So? As I said he hasn't even been trying to hard in any previous race. He's a four year old and won't get worn out easily. He has the stamina and the speed. Chevy only has the speed."

"And Chevy can increase stamina, while your colt can't do so much as fall back a little. He'll break down cause you push him to hard!"

Lightning jumped in, getting a little irritated, "Doc doesn't push me, nor does Talia. I push myself!"

Luke turned his attention to Lightning. "Really now? So when you break down it's on you?"

"Hell yeah. I go down, I go down fighting."

"We'll see if your legs can handle the strain Chevy will put on you."

Doc cut in before Lightning could fire a retort, knowing the young stallion was getting worked up at this point, feeling the anxious stress rising off him. "Why don't we settle this Saturday. Kids don't need to hear us fighting," he looked Nathan in the eyes, hoping he'd caught on to what he meant.

Luke looked at Lightning, suddenly realizing how nervous he looked. Turning to Chevy, he noticed how he nervously blew on the ground, flicking his ears with muscles tensed.

"Fine," he turned around, "C'mon guys."

Chevy jerked after him, trotting after his crew chief as Nathan followed along at a walk.

Lightning sighed, turning to Doc. _Can we go home?_ Doc knew he wanted to, "I guess we can now. Go find Talia."

Lightning turned around and bolted, setting off to go find Talia, while Doc headed back to their trailer.

This was going to be an interesting race.

…

Finally, Saturday had come. Talia was busy brushing Lightning off, making sure he had a little bit of water before the race.

Doc jumped up into the crew chief stand, pricking his ears towards the track. It was fairly big, at least four miles around the whole thing.

And Lightning would be forced to run around this thing a hundred and fifty times. Six hundred miles total.

Lightning had only sprinted short distances of a hundred to two hundred miles. Never coming close to six hundred. Doc honestly wondered if Lightning would be able to handle it, and if his young, still developing body could take the heat.

"All racers to the start! Again all racers to the start!"

There were only two of them, but he guessed it was habit. Darrell Cartrip and Bob Cutlass had been announcing races for years.

Lightning as always, in the pole position. Talia was trying to calm his excited nerves by petting his neck, apparently talking to him, however it wasn't working. Lightning was ready for this.

"_Lookin good kid,_" Doc told him through the radio, watching him.

Lightning responded by tossing his head, bouncily trotting to the rope start.

Chevy was right after him, with his jockey, Andrew. Chevy looked extremely nervous, while Andrew looked ready to go.

Lining up at the rope, Lightning tossed his head, pawing the ground as Chevy stood steady.

A few moments of tense silence, and then the bell rang, the rope lifted, and the two shot off as if their life depended on this one win.

As expected, Lightning sprinted to the lead, Chevy purposefully falling behind. The crowd was obnoxiously loud, louder than Doc was used to.

Lightning, didn't seem to mind. Either that or he wasn't paying attention as he focused on the track stretching in front of him.

"_Now listen, you got 150 laps. Give it your all, you can beat this guy_."

Lightning blew through his nostrils, ears flat to his head. Talia just hung on for the ride, every once in a while checking him, making sure he didn't stretch himself out to fast and to far. He didn't need to pull a muscle.

Talia looked behind her to see how far behind Chevy was. She smirked, and looked back in between Lightning's ears. They were at least ten lengths behind them, and Lightning wasn't anywhere near full speed.

Talia frowned. He had never reached his full speed, mostly because he mentally wasn't able to. She always felt it in his body, the tension he held when he wanted to sprint for home. He held that tension all the way, though. _Maybe this is the race to actually push him a bit,_ she looked down. His legs were just a red flash as they moved underneath him.

She wasn't prepared when he leaned into the turn, and almost fell, but quickly corrected herself. However, the slight mistake made Lightning go off balance. The speed he was going made it hard to collect himself again, and he stumbled. He was unable to pick his body up before he tripped even more. His head fell between his forelegs, and he flipped over himself, landing on his back.

The crowd went silent as Lightning wasted no time in standing up. Chevy passed him, and he looked like he wanted to chase after him. However, he looked behind him as Talia stood up. He nickered to her, and she looked up.

"I'm fine. Nothing broken or sprained. Just gonna have some bruises. You ok?"

He nodded and began to prance in place and toss his head.

Doc's voice cut through the radio, "_You two alright_?"

"We're fine Doc," She gave Lightning the signal to lay down so she could get on. "Just gettin' back on."

"_Did he fall on you_?"

"He landed on my leg, but he got off quick enough. It doesn't hurt."

"_I'll take a look at it when you get back_."

"Ok."

Talia jumped on his back, and as soon as her weight was settled and even, he jerked up, ready to run again. Talia was pretty sure he shoved off his hind legs before his forelegs even hit the ground after he'd jumped up. She barely hung on that time, just managing to stay on as she grabbed his neck.

As he settled again, she released his neck and hung onto his short mane. She looked ahead of her, seeing how Chevy was quite a ways ahead. She frowned and bit her lip. She knew she had to urge him now, or he'd never be able to catch up.

She kissed to him, gently nudging his side with her legs and leaning far up onto his neck. "Come on Light, come on. Let's show the world why your called the best!"

His ears flattened to his neck as he stretched himself out. Talia recalled their first race, when Darrell and Bob had been making comments about his stride going down the homestretch.

_He's moving like a tremendous machine!_

_Stride is larger than Strip's or Chick's by far!_

_That looks like a new stride record!_

_He's chewing up the ground! _

That was exactly what he was doing this time. However, Talia felt the familiar tension in his body signaling he wanted to go faster. Talia frowned, leaned even further up on his neck, kissed to him, and nudged his side. He bounced a bit on his forelegs, but he didn't go any faster.

Finally, after about five more tries with just kissing to him and nudging his flanks, she decided to try something she'd never done before to him. With a deep breath, she took her legs off his side and kicked him as hard as she could.

He was off and away as soon as her heels hit his side. His head shot up for a split second, before he extended it out again. She could hear his fast breaths as he flew across the ground, legs reaching in front of him.

She heard the roar of the crowd even through her radio. She grinned as his mane whipped in her face and her eyes stung from the wind. She could see Chevy getting closer and closer to them as they passed the announcers stand.

She heard Darrell say it was the last lap. She hadn't been keeping track of how many laps they had done, only focused on getting Lightning to go faster. She continued to gently tap his sides, until she knew he was at his very top speed and couldn't go faster.

They blew past Chevy and Andrew, the latter of which looked astonished. Talia glanced behind her to see Andrew cracking the whip, urging Chevy on. But he stood no chance.

In a matter of another few seconds Lightning flew across the finish line. Talia let out a whoop of excitement as she let Lightning do another lap. Once she crossed the finish line again - along with lapping Chevy - she gently pulled Lightning's mane, slowing him down.

It took another lap before she could stop him. She jumped off him, quickly checking his legs for any heat or any other signs of an injury. When she found none, she walked towards the winners circle, Lightning following her.

Talia watched as Chevy and Andrew walked back over to their team. Luke looked particularly crossed, while Nathan looked disappointed. Luke shook his head and turned away from him, while Nathan said something to him that Talia couldn't hear. Nathan suddenly pinned his ears as Luke said something and walked off. Chevy hung his head, Andrew lightly petting him. Andrew and Nathan were obviously trying to comfort him.

Talia looked back at Lightning as he nudged her shoulder. "Oh right! On your back. Lay down will you?"

She got on him again as the cameras flashed around them. Doc smiled proudly as he came into the winners' circle with them. "Good job. I'm proud of you two."

Lightning tossed his head, pricking his ears. He was still breathing hard, catching his breath, but as always he was his energetic and high strung self.

Two people threw the blanket of roses over his withers. Someone handed Talia the trophy, which was a fairly large gold statue of a horse running. Lightning stood still next to Doc, Talia raising the trophy above her head as the cameras flashed some more.

Lightning suddenly snorted and reared. Talia just laughed and leaned forward so she didn't slip off his back. She was used to him doing it, he always did.

She let him relish in his victory. This was some feat he had managed. He'd once again proven why he was called the best, and why the papers with his face on it read 'Best Racehorse of all Time'. And he finished with his win streak still in place. He'd never lost a race, and Talia didn't think he ever would.

**A/N: Hope you all enjoyed it!! Talia did ride bareback and I will get to that later in my 'origin' story called "A Little at a Time." Please review! Thanks for reading:) **

**Words: Hand Ride: When a jockey doesn't use the whip on a racehorse and the racehorse wins by himself (perfect example - Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont Stakes). **

**Checking - Lightly and briefly pulling on the bit (in this case for Talia, his mane, cause bareback and all) to get the horses attention or slow him down. **

**Heat in the legs - Heat in a Horses lower leg below their knee usually means they pulled something or injured something. That's why Talia checked to see if something was warm. **

**Blanket of Roses - Depending on the race, it's a 40 pound 'blanket' of flowers that they drape over the horse that won. They put it on their withers. **


End file.
